Combined firearm and cartridge structure providing for discharge of the cartridges while linked



Feb. 7, 1961 c. R. BELL ETAL 2,970,521

COMBINED FIREARM AND CARTRIDGE STRUCTURE PROVIDING FOR DISCHARGE OF THECARTRIDGES WHILE LINKED Filed Aug. 26, 1957 E :EiEli- INVENTORJI v 241211111125. 11-15am Egg'ana EJ071155 a1 United States Patent Ofifice2,970,521 Patented Feb. 7, 1961 COMBINED FIREARM AND CARTRIDGE STRUC-TURE PROVIDING FOR DISCHARGE OF THE CARTRIDGES WHILE LINKED Charles R.Bell, Canoga Park, Calif., and Eugene S.

Wassel, La Grange, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Aug.26,1957, Ser. No. 680,371

2 Claims. (CI. 89-33) Our invention relates to ammunition belts for gunsand more particularly to such a belt having cartridges pivotallyconnected to form the belt.

This application includes structure shown but not claimed in theapplication of Samuel Altschuler entitled SingleShuttle T win-BarrelGun, Serial Number 639,142, filed February 8, 1957.

A rapid fire gun is provided with a pair of barrels and a pair ofsprocket-wheels disposed for rotation to convey cartridges alternatelyto the firing stations of the barrels for alternate discharge of thecartridge projectiles therethrough. A bolt is disposed for slidablereciprocation for alternate engagement with the sprocket-wheels tocooperate therewith in indexing the cartridges in the firing stations,and the bolt and the sprockets are actuated responsive to the discharge.

It is the object of this invention to adapt such a gun for the dischargeof cartridges of quadrangular crosssection designed to be pivotallylinkedat the bases thereof to form a pair of belts and to be dischargedin the gun without being disconnected.

Other aims and objects of our invention will appear from the followingexplanation thereof.

In carrying out our invention, an ammunition belt includes cartridgeshaving cases each provided with symmetrically disposed sides including abase conforming to the curvature of the sprocket-wheels between thesprockets thereof, and an opposing arched side which is joined by a pairof connecting sides diverging therefrom to conform with theconfiguration of the chamber recesses in the bolt.

The case includes a sleeve with a cylindrical aperture for inclosing theprojectile and is thickened at the junctions of the connecting sideswith the base to reinforce the case where adjacent the division betweenthe sprocketwheels and the bolt.

The members of a hinged connector are secured to the contiguousjunctures of adjacent cases and the members are pin connected to jointhe cartridges and form the ammunition belt.

For a more complete understanding, reference is directed to thefollowing description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an automatic gun with an ammunitionbelt therefor incorporating our inven tion;

Fig. 2 is a view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of a cartridge, partly in section; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged exploded view of a connector.

Shown in the figures is a gun 14 of shuttle-bolt type wherein a pair ofsprocket-wheels 15 respectively engage a pair of ammuntion belts 12 tosequentially move the cartridges 16 retained therein to firing stationsin re spective alignment with the bores of a pair of barrels 19. Thecartridges 16 are substantially quadrangular in crosssection and oftruncated roof configuration, as hereinafter described, and each of thesprocket-wheels 15 is provided with a cylindrical portion 24 from thecircular periphery of which there radially extends a plurality ofsprockets 32. The sprockets 32 are relatively short in length andproject only as far as is necessary to grip the bases of the cartridgesfor transferring rotation of the sprocket-wheels 15 to ammunition belt12. Formed between pairs of the sprockets 32 are arcuate root portions17 which are portions of the periphery of cylindrical portion 24.

A bolt 34 is disposed for reciprocation into alternate engagement at theopposite ends thereof with a pair of the sprockets on each of thesprocket-wheels. Provided in each of such opposite ends of bolt 34 is arecess 36 which cooperates with the inner walls of the engaged pair ofsprockets 32 and the root portion 17 therebetween to form a firingchamber 35 for inclosing a cartridge 16 when in one of the firingstations for discharge therein.

Each of the cartridges 16 is provided with a case 18 having a baseportion 37 provided with a planar inner surface and an outer surface 20which is concavely curved so as to full engage one of the root portions17 when engaged therewith during rotation of the correspondingsprocket-wheel 15 to the respective one of the firing stations. Baseportion 37 is joined at opposite sides to a pair of side portions 30which are joined at the opposite ends to anarched portion 28. An endportion 33 incloses the rear end of case 18 and is provided with aprimer 41. The side portions 30 are provided with planar inner surfaceswhich are disposed at right angles to the planar inner surface of baseportion 37, however, the outside surfaces of side portions taperoutwardly from arched portion 28 to the base portion. Thereby, an extrathickness of material is provided at the junction of the side portions30 with base portion 37 for reinforcing the portions of case 18 whichare adjacent the divisions of firing chamber 35, Where bolt 34 engagesthe cooperating pair of sprockets 32, to withstand the forces of theexplosion when propellant 42 is ignited by primer 41. The outsideportion of the junction of the sides 30 with base 37 is shaped, as notedat 47, to coincide with the corresponding surfaces of the sprockets 32.The inner surfaces of base portion 37, side portion 30, arched portion28 and end portion 33 form an opening 45 in the forward end of whichthere is slidably retained a sleeve 43 which is provided with acylindrical aperture 38 for receiving a projectile 40. When propellant42 is ignited, the force of the explosion causes sleeve 43 to be movedforwardly into engagement with the base of the respective one of thebarrels 19 to seal the space between such barrel and the dischargedcartridge 16.

Extending outwardly from opposite sides of base portion 37 along thelength thereof, are connecting portions 48 and 50 which are providedrespectively with hinge loops 52 and 53 arranged so that hinge loop 52on one case 18 is alignable with hinge loop 53 on another case tojointly receive a pin 54, as shown by Fig. 5. Thus, a plurality ofcartridges 16 may be hingedly joined to form the ammunition belts 12.Suitable clearance cuts (not shown) are provided in the sprockets 32 toreceive the loops 52 and 53 so that the outer surface 20 of base portion37 may fully engage root portion 17.

Thus, it is readily apparent that there is herein provided a cartridgewhich is readily interconnectable to others to form an ammunition belt.Also, by cartridge 16 being hinged where engaged with thesprocket-wheels 15, it is obvious that the diameter thereof may bereduced considerably, permitting a reduction in the silhouette of gun14. Further, because of the truncated roof configuration of thecartridges 16 and, because the cartridges are joined at the basesthereof, the length of the sprockets 32 may be much shorter than thoserequired for cylindrical cartridges which must be engaged above the deadcenters thereof.

Moreover, it is evident that cartridges 16 and the ammunition belt 12formed thereby are especially well adapted for use in a twin-barrel gunof shuttle-bolt type wherein a reciprocating bolt engageably cooperateswith a pair of sprocket-wheels in forming split-type firing chambers.This is because the engagement between the bolt and sprocket-wheels,which forms divisions of the firing chambers, may be made adjacent baseportion 37, where extra material may be readily provided to reinforcecase 18 at such division because of the very short length required ofthe sprockets 32.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised withinthe spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended toinclude such variations.

We claim:

1. In combination, a cartridge of quadrangular crosssection including alongitudinally disposed base portion, connector portions extendinglaterally from said base portion to provide means for hingedlyconnecting a plurality of cartridges at said base portions to form abelt jointed for pivotal displacement thereof, and a firearm comprisinga bolt mounted for lateral reciprocation therein and including a recessin one of the opposite ends for laterally receiving that portion of saidcartridge extending from said base portion, a sprocket-wheel rotatablydisposed in the firearm in alignment with the path of travel of saidbolt, a cylindrical portion of said sprocket-wheel rotatably disposedadjacent the recess carrying end of said bolt, a plurality of sprocketssymmetrically disposed around said cylindrical portion for engaging saidbase portions of said cartridges in said belt between successive pairsof said sprockets to rotatably carry said cartridges into position to bereceived by said recess, the pairs of said sprockets being disposed forengagement by the recess carrying end of said bolt to form therewith afiring chamber for the discharge of the inclosed one of said cartridges,said sprockets being extensively terminated at said base portion forengagement by said bolt adjacent thereto, an outside surface of saidbase portion curved to mate with said cylindrical portion forpositioning said connector portions adjacent said cylindrical portionwhen said cartridges are in engagement with said sprocket-wheel, and aclearance cut in each of said sprockets for receiving said connectorportions.

2. In combination, a cartridge of quadrangular crosssection including alongitudinally disposed base portion, connector portions extendinglaterally from the sides of said base portion to provide means forhingedly connecting a plurality of said cartridges to form a beltjointed for pivotal displacement about said base portions, and a firearmcomprising a pair of sprocket-wheels rotatably mounted therein forsuccessively carrying said cartridges in a pair of said belts intolongitudinal alignment with a pair of barrels, a bolt mounted forlateral reciprocation in the firearm to alternately engage the oppositeends thereof with said sprocket-wheels, a recess in each of the oppositeends of said bolt for laterally receiving one of said cartridges whenpositioned by one of said sprocket-wheels in alignment with therespective one of the barrels, each of said sprocket-wheels beingprovided with a plurality of sprockets disposed symmetricallytherearound for engaging said base portions of said cartridges in saidbelts between successive pairs of said sprockets to transfer rotation ofsaid sprocket-wheels to said belts and to rotatably carry saidcartridges into position to be received by said recesses duringreciprocation of said bolt and for engagement of successive pairs ofsaid sprockets by said bolt to form a firing chamber for the dischargeof the inclosed cartridge, said sprockets being extensively terminatedat said base portion of the engaged one of said cartridges forengagement of said bolt with said sprockets adjacent said base portion,and a clearance cut through each of said sprockets to receive saidconnector portions when said belts are rotated by said sprocketwheels topermit uninterrupted engagement of said bolt with said sprockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS476,591 Archbold June 7, 1892 683,384 Cole Sept. 24, 1901 2,847,784Dardick Aug. 19, 1958

